The present invention relates generally to an electronic safe lock, and more particularly to a mechanism for working the lock barrel of the electronic safe lock.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the conventional safe is provided with a key 2 and a lock 3 comprising an eccentrically-arranged rod 4 and a rotary disk 5 which is provided with an urging slot 6 in which the rod 4 is disposed. The rotary disk 5 is provided with two opposite retaining rods 7 and 8, which are fastened pivotally with the rotary disk 5. When the lock 3 is turned by the key 2, the rod 4 is actuated to rotate such that the rod 4 is displaced in the urging slot 6, and that the rotary disk 5 is urged by the rod 4 to turn, thereby causing the rotary disk 5 to actuate the two retaining rods 7 and 8 to move at the same time in the opposite directions. If the retaining rods 7 and 8 are jutted out, they are retained by a top frame 9 and a bottom frame 10. After the lock is unlocked by the key 2, the door 1 is opened. In the event that the key 2 is lost, the safe must be opened by a locksmith.
As shown in FIG. 3, another conventional safe 12 is provided with a plurality of combination locks, which work in conjunction with a key. The safe 12 may be burglarproof; nevertheless its use may result in various inconveniences similar in nature to those of the safe as described above with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.
An electronic lock is disclosed by this inventor of the present invention in the U.S. patent apllication Ser. No. 09/431,682. As shown in FIG. 4, the electronic lock comprises a coil 20 which is used to bring about a magnetic force for attracting an action piece 21 to push an actuation block 22 to engage a retaining block 23. As the power supply is interrupted, action piece 22 returns to its original position, thereby resulting in the disengagement of the actuation block 22 with the retaining block 23. As a result, the retaining block 23 is not linked with a door handlebar 24. In other words, the power supply interruption results in an automatic locking state of the electronic lock. In the event that the doors of the safe are to be kept open, the electronic lock must be continuously provided with the power, so as to keep the handlebar 24 to be linked with the retaining block 23. It is therefore readily apparent that the electronic lock is not energy efficient, and that the electronic lock is more suitable for use in an automatic door or gate than a safe.
The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a novel electronic lock which is free of the drawbacks of the conventional locks described above.
In keeping with the principle of the present invention, the foregoing objective of the present invention is attained by the electronic lock comprising a lock barrel which is provided with a retaining long key for retaining a rotary mechanism of the lock barrel so as to rotate the lock barrel from the outside of the door. The lock barrel has a portion which is located in the inside of the door and is vertically disposed a position confining slide sleeve. The rear end of the slide sleeve is fastened with a motor having a rotary shaft which is provided with outer threads. A threaded sleeve which is engaged with the front end of the slide sleeve is fastened with the rotary shaft. As the motor is in operation, the threaded sleeve slides back and forth in the position confining slide sleeve. Before a safe is unlocked, the motor is electronically started by entering the code, thereby resulting in the disengagement of the threaded sleeve with the lock barrel. The lock barrel can be turned by the rotary mechanism. The safe is locked once again by entering the code, so as to cause the motor to drive the threaded sleeve to move forward to retain the lock barrel. As the rotary mechanism is turned, the lock barrel is retained by the threaded sleeve. The present invention can be operated with ease and speed without using a key. The electronic control of the present invention is burglarproof.
When the motor is no longer in operation, the threaded sleeve is fixed. As a result, in case of power outage or interruption, the electronic lock of the present invention remains in the unlocked state in view of the threaded sleeve being disengaged with the lock barrel. The present invention is thus energy efficient.